The present invention relates to a plug-holder strip for an accumulator battery and to a battery including the strip.
In particular, the invention relates to a plug-holder strip of the type comprising:
a plurality of plugs to be fitted in complementary holes in the cover of the battery, and
a support structure which interconnects the plugs, the plugs being connected to the support structure by yielding connection means which allow the plugs to move relative to the support structure to enable the plugs to be aligned with the holes in the cover.
A strip structure having the above-mentioned characteristics is described in EP-A-1 017 119 in the name of the Applicant. In this structure, the plugs are connected to a support plate by regions with corrugated or grooved profiles, which have an annular shape in plan and surround each plug, and which constitute integral parts of the plate-like interconnection and support element. These annular regions, which can undergo resilient or plastic deformation, afford the plugs the mobility necessary for the axis of each plug perpendicular to the plane of the plate to be aligned or made to coincide with the axis of the complementary hole in the cover so as to achieve a good seal between the plugs and the cover.
Although the structure described therein can effectively solve the problems relating to the sealing and the alignment of the plugs with the battery cover, its production involves difficulties relating particularly to the moulding of the plug-holder strip in a single piece.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved solution which solves the problems mentioned above with regard to alignment and sealing, and which is easy to manufacture from the production and technological points of view.
In view of this aim, a subject of the invention is a plug-holder strip for an accumulator battery of the above-mentioned type, characterized in that each plug is fitted in a through-hole in the support structure, and in which the means for connecting each plug to the support structure comprise an annular sealing member which surrounds the hole and forms a seal between the plug and the support, and retaining means which are associated with the support structure and press the plug onto the sealing member to ensure leaktightness whilst maintaining the ability of the plug to move relative to the support structure.
A further subject of the invention is an accumulator battery, particularly a starter battery, comprising a plurality of cells in series and comprising the above-mentioned plug-holder strip.